Data collection networks often sample data at a first location and then transmit the sampled data to another location for processing and analysis. In some data collection networks, data may be sampled randomly or irregularly as a function of time. In particular, a time interval between individual samples may vary essentially randomly as a function of time.
Examples of such data collection networks include, but are not limited to, a wideband test system with random sampling and a time synchronized, low power network of sensors. A wideband test system with random sampling, when accompanied by accurate timestamping (e.g., time synchronization) of the samples, facilitates wideband signal characterization using average sample rates far below a conventional Nyquist sampling rate for the signal. In another wideband signal test situation, particular tests often require accurate data across limited spectral range (e.g., one-tone and two-tone tests of radio frequency devices). In such situations, randomized data sampling may minimize a total amount of data required for performing the tests. With respect to low-power networked sensors, a power consumption of each sensor is often directly related to a sample rate of the sensor. In many situations, reducing the data rate by employing randomized sampling facilitates low-power operation. In addition, constraints imposed by the network (e.g., network protocols and associated timing) often place practical restrictions on sampling intervals resulting in uneven or irregularly spaced samples. U.S. Pat. No. 6,735,539 B2 to Barford, incorporated herein by reference, teaches such a system using networked sensors with unevenly spaced samples having timestamps.
A number of techniques are known for handling spectral estimation from unevenly spaced, irregular, and/or randomly spaced timestamped data. Among the known techniques are Autoregressive Moving Average (ARMA) methods, Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) methods, and Matrix Factorization (MF) Methods. ARMA methods fit a set of timestamped input data to an ARMA model. ARMA methods require excessively high computation times rendering such methods unsuitable for many real-time applications. DFT methods typically require extremely large sets of input data with relatively small inter-sample time spacing to minimize errors in summations approximating Fourier integrals of the DFT. MF methods include, but are not limited to, methods that attempt to fit a least-squares spectrum to the sampled data. No practical means of determining a sufficient number of samples exists for such MF methods resulting in the need for excessively long measurement and computation times especially when considering real-time operations, such as in a manufacturing environment.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have an approach to providing spectral estimation of one or both of regularly spaced and random or irregularly spaced data samples that provides a relatively accurate spectrum estimate in environments such as manufacturing and test. Such an approach would solve a long-standing need in the area of spectral estimation.